Bascule bridge



Filed Feb. 28 1925 3 Sheets-Sheetl l WMA wml Mmm,

Oct. 8, 1929. J. B. s-rRAuss 1,730,595

BASCULE BRIDGE Filed Feb. `28 1925 ..3 ShebS-Sheet 2 v www' O :t. 8, 1929. l,1., asTR'Auss l 1,730,595

BASCULE BRIDGE Filed Feb. 28, 1925 5 sheets-sheet 3 Patented Oct. 8, 1929 UNITED STATES JOSEPH B. STRASS, F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS BASCULE BRIDGE Application med February 2s, 1925. serial No. 12,323;

This invention relates toL bascule bridges and has for its object to provide a new and improved device of this description. l

The invention hasas a further object to provide a bascule bridge having a moving leaf with a locking device for locking the end of the leaf when in its closed position.

The invention has other objects which are more particularly pointed out in the accompanying description.

Referring now to the drawings,

vFigure 1 is a fragmentary view of the endy of the moving leaf of the bascule bridge to which the lock is attached with parts in section;

Figure 2 is a sectional view with parts omitted taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional viewtalzen on line 3 3 of Figure l;

Figure 4 is an enlarged view in part section showing the locking hook and associated parts with the hook in its released position; Figure 5-is a view similar to Figure 4 with a hook in its locking position; 2 5 Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Lilie numerals refer to like parts throughout the several figures.

Referring now to the drawings, T have shown a moving leaf 1. Mounted on this leaf is a movable locking part 2, which'is shown in the form of a hook. This movable locking part cooperates with another locking part 3,

which is fastened to a fixed part 4 in proximity to the end of the moving leaf when said leaf is closed. Means Iis provided for moving the two locking parts into a cooperating locking position when the leaf is closed, and for disconnecting them when'it is desired to open the leaf. The movable locking member 2 is mounted on a shaft 5, which is rotated by a gear 6 operatively connected with asuitable source of power, which may be a motor or hand power or both. The part 2 is mounted upon an eccentric 7 on the shaft 5 and is provided ywith proj ectionsS on opposite sides thereof, which may be formed by a pin. Mounted on the shaft 5 so as to rotate therewith are operating parts or projections 9 5-0 which engage the Projectie@ 8 When the shaft is rotated and causethe movable part 2 to move away from the part'3, that is, to its unlocking position.'y The part 3 has an inclined face 3? which is engaged with thepart 2 in the downward movement of the moving leaf so as toy move the part 2 to one side. In the construction shown the gearl 6 (see Fig. 2) is connected with a gear 10 on a shaft'11, and this shaft isV connected by gears 12 and 13 with a shaft 14. yThe shaft 14 is provided 60 with a worm gear 15 which engages the worm 16 on a shaft 17 connected with themotor 18, there being preferably a flexible coupling 19 between the shaft 17 and the motor 18, the worm and worm wheel 15 and 16 and the e5 connecting shafts and gears acting as a speed reducing mechanism, and are so proportioned as to secure the desired movement of the shaft `5. The motor shaft 20 is provided with a suitable brake 21 which may be of the sole- 70 noid type. Some means is provided for moving the shafty 5 by hand. For this purpose the shaft 17 (see Fig. 1) is provided with a beveled pinion 22 whichengages a beveled pinion 23 on the shaft 24. This shaft has at 75 its other end a beveled pinion' 25 which engages a beveled pinion 26 on the shaft 27. The shaft 27 is .provided with a non-circular end and has a crank 28, the parts being arranged so that when the crank is rotated the so shaft 5 and intermediate parts will be rotated so as to move the movable part 2. The part 2 of the lock is preferably provided with some means for automatically pushing the hook end 2fL thereof into vthe receivingspace se 3b so that said hook end will engage the part 3 and prevent the separation of the parts 2 and 3.v In the construction herein shown this is accomplished by means of a spring 30- which is compressed when the part 2 is moved a@ away from the part 3 as it slides down along the beveled face 3, and which then'acts to move the hook end-2a of the part 2 into the receiving space 3b when the part 2 comes opposite said space. Thefspring 30 has one end 95 engaging a fixed stop 31 and the other end -engaging a movablepiece 32, which is connected by the piece 33 with the part 2. 'A rod- 34 also preferably runs through lthe Serment-,e619itfrembaklne l prefer t@ 109 have two of the locking parts 2 and 3 upon the bridge, one at each side thereof, and, in that event, the shaft 11 is extended to the other side of the bridge and is connected by the gear 1() with the gear 6 on the shaft 5 of the other mechanism, which is a duplicate of the mechanism first described.

I have described in detail a particular construction which embodies the invention, but it is of course evident that the parts may vbe varied in many particulars without departing from the spirit of the invention as embodied in the claims hereto appending.

The use and operation of my invention are as follows:

/Vhen .the bridge spanis closed, the :parts are in vthe position illustrated in Figures 1 and V5, so that the locking parts 2 and 3 vare tightly engaged, so as to hold the span against movement. ihen it is desired to open the bridge the motor 18 is set in operation, and this turns the shaft 17 and the motion of this shaft is communicated through shafts 11i and 11 and the associated gears to the gear 6 and 1 .the shaft 5 on both sides of the span. lhen the shaft 5 is moved the eccentric 7 is moved so as to Acause .the hook end 26L of the part 2 to move downwardly. out of engagement with the part 3, as shown in Figure 4, so as to loosen these two engaging parts, and after this shaft 5 isnioved a predetermined amount the proj ections 9 engage the projections 8 on the part 2 and move said part outwardly against the compression of the spring 30, so as to move the hook end 2*l to a position where it will not engage vthe part 3 when the bridge is lifted. The motor is then stopped and the moving leaf lifted in the ordinary manner, the hook end 2a passing freely by the part 3.

Preferably before the bridge is lowered, the motor is operated to move `the parts back to their initial position. When the bridge is lowered, the end of the part 2 engages the inclined face 3a of the part 3 so as to move the .part 2 of the hook end 2L to one side, that is to the right in Figure 1. This movement of the part causes the piece 32 to compress the spring 30, and when the hook end 2fL comes opposite the receiving space 3b this spring expands and forces the hook into this space so as to instantly lock the parts 2 and 3 together, therebypreventing rebound of the main span. Before the closing of the main span the parts Y need not be completely moved back to their initial position 'by the motor, and if they yare not so completely moved back to their initial position, then when the hook end 2 is moved into the receiving space 3b the Vmotor may then be operatedto move the parts back to their initial position. 1f the motor is out of operation', or if for any other reason it desider to move the 'parts by hand, they may be so moved by means of the crank 28 and associated v4parts.` `lVhen the bridge is lowered,

engaged by the movable locking it will be seen that the two locking parts 2 and 3 are automatically brought together.

lf claim:

l. A bascule bridge comprising a moving leaf, a shaft carried by said leaf, a moving locking part on said shaft and extending downwardly therefrom when the leaf is closed, a .stationary locking part located on a fixed portion of the structure and with which the movable locking part cooperates, cont-rolling means on said shaft for controlling said movable locking part, and means formoving said shaft to actuate said controlling means.

2. VA bascule bridge comprising a moving leaf, a shaft carried thereby, a movable loclring part on said shaft, a fixedv locking part separate from the leaf with which said movable locking part cooperates, an engaging part on the shaft which engages the movable locking part when the shaft is rotated so as to move said movable locking part.

3. A bascule bridge comprising `a moving leaf, a locking part movably connected with the end of said leaf, a stationary locking part located in a fixed portion of the structure and with which it cooperates, and means carried by the leaf andseparate from the actuating mechanism of the leaf for actuating the'moving locking part, cooperating engaging faces on the two loclring parts by means of which they are moved relatively when the moving span is moved to its closed position.

4. A bascule bridge comprising a moving leaf, a movableloclring part movably mounted on said leaf, a fixed locking part separate from the leaf,`cooperating faces on the two locking parts by means of which they are moved relatively by the movement of the moving leaf, and separate means for moving the two locking parts relatively independent of the movement ofthe leaf.

5. A bascule bridge comprising a moving leaf, a shaft mounted thereon, an eccentric on said shaft, a movable locking part mounted on said eccentric, an actuating part on said shaft for engaging the movable locking part so as to give it a rotary movement when the -shaft is rotated, and a` fixed locking part separate from the `moving leaf adapted to be part when the moving leaf is'closed.

6. A bascule bridge comprising a moving leaf, a locking device therefor comprising a movable parton the leaf and a fixed part, means for automatically connecting the parts when the bridge is lowered, means for moving said movable and fixed parts relatively to clamp them together after they are connected, and mechanical means located on the leaf but separate from the actuating mechanism of the leaf yfor disconnecting them when itis desired to operate the bridge.

7. A bascule bridge comprising a moving leaf, a shaft mounted thereon, means for mov- Cil ing said shaft, an eccentric on said shaft, a locking part mounted on said eccentric, a locking part separate Jfrom the leaf which cooperates with said first mentioned locking part, and means controlled by said shaft for moving said lirst mentioned locking part to disengage it from the locking part separate from the leaf.

8. A bascule bridge comprising a moving leaf, a shaft mounted thereon, means for moving said shaft, an eccentric on said shaft, a locking partmounted on said eccentric, a locking part separate from the leall which cooperates With said first mentioned locking` part, and means controlled by said shaft for moving said first mentioned locking part to disengage it from the locking part separate from the leaf, and means for automatically bringing the two locking parts together when the leaf is lowered.

Signed at Chicago, county of Cook, and

State of Illinois, this 21st day of February, 1925.

JOSEPH B. STRAUSS. 

